AuthorTopic: Canadian citizens practicing in the US (Read 7572 times)

My sister married an American and lives in L.A.. Would this mean anything if I wanted to move and work there?

If she has become a citizen, then you are able to get a green card through her citizenship. However, the backlogs for those are HUGE, I think somewhere on the order of 10 years - and it doesn't matter what country you're coming from. The reason is that, except for immediate relatives of US citizens (spouses and maybe children are the only ones that qualify) there are quotas for greencards every year.

OK, I have some info. I contacted some big law firms (top 100) and grilled recruitment people about various issues. I don't know how relevant this is to Canada but for other int'l ppl it may be useful.

1) A student visa _will_ allow you to do a 2L summer in an American law firm, no probs.2) They will apply for a visa for you to stay in the US if they want to employ you. This is not a problem, it is done many times, every year. But almost all say they wouldn't bother unless you had done your 2L summer with them. Which is good to know.3) I contacted British and American magic circle firms in the City (London): Lovells, Linklaters, Clifford Chance etc etc. all of whom said it's not a great idea to train in a foreign jurisdiction and then take the QLTT (Qualified Lawyers' Transfer Test) to convert to English law. There will be a similar equival;ent in Canada. Though technically by taking the test you are qualified in your home country and the US, they say your knowledge would not be in-depth enough for them to want recruit you, without you having to retrain, unless you were already a very senior lawyer. Perhaps this isn't the case in Canada, but it's certainly worth checking, just to be sure. So I'd write a few emails to law firms that interest you.

It has definitely given me a lot to think about! I'm more informed, but more confused, than ever!

Thanks a bunch for all of the info on crossing into the US re: the I20. I have been accepted to a US school (i'm in Toronto now), and have been getting conflicting information on whether to try to book and appointment at the US Consulate before getting to the airport, or just going to the airport with my I-20, financial statements, and SEVIS feel payment.

Have you gone through this yourself? Do you recommend even driving to the Niagara border days before my flight to make sure I get it? Have you ever heard any news on how long this interview process will take at the airport?

I'm packing up my bags and moving out of here (ie. won't have an apartment or house to come back to in Toronto when I leave), so i'm a bit concerned!

AB3, since you're Canadian, you don't need to go to a US Consulate to get your student visa. All you have to do is show your I-20, passport and financial statements to US immigration and they'll give you your I-94 for 6 bucks.

I drove into the States, so I got my I-94 at the Niagra Falls border crossing. Since you're flying, I'm not sure whether you'll have to visit US Immigration at the LAST Canadian airport you visit before crossing into the States or the FIRST American airport you visit after leaving Canada. Since 9/11, people flying into the States have had to go through US customs at the last foreign airport they visit prior to US entry. For example, I flew from Toronto to Seattle with a connecting flight in Vancouver. I had to go through US Customs in Vancouver. I'm not sure if the officers that do customs also do immigration.

I wouldn't worry too much. Getting a US student visa is dead easy for a Canadian. Just ask the US Customs Officer at Pearson what to do.